


Songs of the Court

by RosyMiz



Category: League of Legends
Genre: Drama, F/M, Fluff, Guqin Sona, Jhin the Crown Prince, Romance, Shen and Zed are Jhin's friends, Sona the Court Musician, and they're one of the best generals in the military, royal au
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-10-13
Updated: 2018-02-07
Packaged: 2019-01-16 17:56:30
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 18,345
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12347685
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RosyMiz/pseuds/RosyMiz
Summary: Jhin never liked the unnecessary attention he got from court officials or staff that always had an underlying motive. It wasn't until his father, the king of Ionia, brought court musicians to lift his spirits and the silent atmosphere of the inner palace. A particularly mute musician caught his attention after a series of events and constantly running into her. Her silence was clear but soft, and he felt himself getting drawn to her more and more.





	1. Their Arrival

Servants ready to serve on command. Cooks with the finest cuisine they know. Gardeners to keep the imperial garden overflowing with flowers and trees of all size and colors. Scholars and ministers containing the knowledge of thousands of books. Concubines filling quiet halls with knowing giggles.

Jhin never took a liking to it all. Perhaps when he was a young child, yes, but now, that youthful eagerness was replaced with a reserved aversion.

Their words said one thing, but their hearts said another. Their desires were too loud. Overwhelming his own thoughts to the point he mostly shut himself in the quiet confines of his room, the one place in this palace where he could have time to himself. He hated that so much. He used to like wandering the halls and relaxing in the vast ballroom that was usually empty except during banquets. 

But he couldn’t have that leisure anymore. It was so, so frustrating not being able to go outside his room without being followed by an unassigned servant or a concubine who had “wandered” by. 

He sighed into his pillow as he gazed out the tall window by his bed. It was such a nice day today, but he just didn’t want to go outside knowing what will happen. He could sneak out again like the few times he had out of frustration, but his last attempt had the whole palace looking for him in a panic. He didn’t want that happening again. His train of thoughts was interrupted when a humble knock sounded from his door and the soft creak of it opening. 

“Are you doing alright, son?” His father, the king of Ionia, poked his head in with concern in his voice. “You haven’t been showing yourself in the palace recently.”

“I’m fine,” he lied. 

His father approached his bed. “I can tell when you’re lying, you know. Your answers stop becoming elaborate when something is bothering you.”

Curse his father’s perceptiveness. He couldn’t brush off the topic now. “I’m tired, of everyone trying to coddle me or get something out of me at every corner I turn. I’m sure you know, since you went through it also.”

“You’re the crown prince. You can choose to send them away for good if you so wish.”

“You expect me to send everyone in this palace back home just because I can’t handle their actions? That’s rather short-sighted of a prince, don’t you think?” He sat up to meet his father’s eyes. “Father, all I want is more time to myself when I set foot out of this room. Haven’t you ever noticed that I’m always surrounded or followed by people everywhere I go? And I don’t mean the servants.”

“I assumed you didn’t mind it since you never said a word about them.”

“I do. I always have. But I can’t get angry at them when they don’t even cross the line.” His shoulders drooped in defeat. “I can’t go a minute without someone other than a servant trying to get something out of me. Even when I tell them I would like time to myself, they still follow me to see what I’m doing.”

His father gazed at him in worry. He didn’t realize his son was so depressed about the lack of personal time to himself. He made a quiet decision to keep an eye on the people surrounding Jhin to take that matter into his own hands. “Is there anything you’d like me to do?” he asked out of courtesy.

Jhin shook his head. “Leave it be. There aren’t many people in this palace in the first place. They may be a tad bit meddlesome, but they do their job well.”

“Alright. If you ever want something, don’t hesitate to tell me, son.”

“I’ll do so.”

“Why don’t you come with me for lunch this time?”

Jhin hesitated. But he looked up with an accepting smile. “That would be nice.” He followed his father out the door, nodding his head to the servants who bowed at his presence.

His father straightened his lips into a line and hardened his gaze the moment he stepped out the doorway. He held a palm out to stop the servants who tried to follow them. “There is no need to follow us this time. My son will be accompanying me to lunch alone, and you will relay this message to anyone who wander these halls.”

The servants deeply bowed their heads in acknowledgement. “As you wish, Your Majesty.” They remained by Jhin’s door to guard it from any other members of the royal palace.

Jhin watched in amazement. Every time his father would give orders, he would do it with such a strong commanding aura. He could never understand how to do it himself. “How do you do it, father?”

“When you’ve been king for years, you learn what looks can oblige them into executing your orders.” The warm and soft expression Jhin has always known returned to his father’s features immediately as he chuckled. “You’ll learn how to do it eventually. You’re still young.”

“I suppose so…”

* * *

 

It wasn’t until a week later his father summoned Jhin to the throne room out of the blue. Jhin, not knowing what his father was up to this time, followed his servants to the room, where most residents of the palace gathered in the sidelines with soldiers guarding the entrances. Four beautifully-dressed women with instruments in their possession sat idly on cushions on the floor. 

The sight took him a moment to take it in. He hadn’t seen so many people in one room since… since her passing. He cautiously stepped around the line of soldiers standing before the king and sat on his throne. “Father, what’s going on?” he whispered curiously.

“You shall see, my son.” His father raised his hands to gain everyone’s attention. “I have gathered you here today to introduce you to our newly-appointed court musicians. I have had my men search all over the country for the best musician of each village. After a few more trials, we have chosen these four for their skill and style in music. They have each brought a song of their people for us to hear.” He gestured to the two musicians in the front. “I believe yours is a collaboration, from what I’ve read in the reports.”

One was a woman with black hair and fox ears holding a lute-like instrument, while the other had magenta hair with bird-like feathers as ears holding two little hammers over a flat, stringed instrument. “Yes, Your Majesty. I have also brought a dancer with us to further enhance the performance,” the magenta one announced. Another bird-like man with silver hair and red locks stepped out of the sidelines and gave a graceful bow to the king.

“We are Ahri, Xayah, and Rakan of the Vastaya,” the fox one stated. “Please enjoy this song we have chosen to share with you a piece of our culture.” The three looked at each other with a nod and started their song with a loud, great chord and continued on with an upbeat melody as Rakan danced while tapping a beat on a drum by his hip. Golden light danced around him with each step.

The servants and concubines clapped to the music in joy, some of them even dancing with each other or imitating Rakan.

“Yeah, now you got it!” Rakan excitedly commented on one servant’s mimicry of his dance as he twirled with his bird-like cloak swaying in the air. 

The throne room boomed with the applause of the awestruck audience when they ended. Jhin applauded also, having enjoyed their performance. He had always loved the arts, including music and dancing. He was tutored in such areas, but he never got to listen to others play what they learned. 

The three bowed their heads. “We are humbled to be able to play this song for His Majesty and His Imperial Highness, and we thank you for this opportunity,” Ahri said. They moved to the back of the line to let the dark-violet-haired musician play her song next.

“My name is Soraka. I like to play what I call the songs of the stars that tell stories of constellations. For my performance today, I will play the song of the zodiac.” She straightened her back and pressed her lips against the mouthpiece of a reed instrument. 

Soraka’s song seemed to immerse the room into a meditative state as her music seemed to pull them into another world that stars see. A world where the zodiac reigned over the stars and governed each cluster under their rule. A story of the mundane, but extraordinary duties of each constellation. 

Some even swore they saw stardust glisten on her golden instrument. Impressed, the audience loudly clapped with whispers of awe and wonder. Jhin had to admit: he liked this one a little better. As much as appreciated all forms of music, he usually liked the ones with a calmer melody.

“Thank you for taking the time to listen to a song of the stars. I am humbled to be able to perform this song for everyone today.” She turned to walk to the back of the line but not without sending a reassuring smile to the last musician, who looked nervous, behind her.

The last musician breathed out and stood up from her cushion. The wooden, stringed-instrument suddenly moved and levitated from her lap without the use of her hands. It followed her every step as if it was held up by the air itself. Surprised whispers filled the room as people laid eyes on her mysterious instrument. She deeply bowed for a moment before raising her head and hovering her hands over the strings.

She started with a slow tempo, her fingers trickling a soft melody like a lullaby. The audience let out sighs, feeling themselves relax and sway to her music. It reminded Jhin of a past time. A song of a woman long gone who would hum for him, when he bolted awake from nightmares, to lull him back to sleep with visions of flowers that glowed in the night. 

Every lingering pause in her song made the audience keep wanting more, to hear the nostalgia in their memories. Her music then closed on a continuous stream of notes until they slowed down beat by beat. She ended it with a soft pluck of a chord.

The throne room was silent. The audience took a brief moment to take in her music before their soft applause turned louder and louder by the second. 

The musician cupped her hands and bowed once more. She remained in that posture a little longer before she straightened her back and moved behind the line without a word, her strange actions causing a few to raise their brows. 

Jhin’s eyes slightly narrowed in confusion. She didn’t even say a word of gratitude for being chosen to play like everyone else, nor did she ever introduce herself in the beginning either, he realized. His eyes glanced over to his father, who hadn’t said anything regarding her impudence and smiled her actions away.

“Fantastic, all of you! I’m more than overjoyed to see that we have such gifted musicians in this palace. We welcome you, and I hope you enjoy your time here.” All musicians bowed, thanking His Majesty once more. On his orders, they approached the throne after he dismissed everyone else from the room. He gestured to Jhin. “I would like to introduce you to my son. He is the Crown Prince, Jhin. You will be mostly under his authority to play something for him whenever he would like.”

That wasn’t something he agreed to, but he didn’t want to impolitely deny it in front of the musicians. But to have court musicians in the palace did sound nice. Their music could lift the deafening atmosphere that he hated for so long.

“A pleasure to meet you, Your Imperial Highness,” Ahri greeted with a smile as Xayah and Rakan bowed alongside her. 

“Please feel free to call us anytime you would like to listen to our music to soothe your troubles,” Soraka added. “I hope our services will be of use to you.”

Jhin felt his eyes stray to the brown-haired musician who winced at his gaze. “I don’t believe I got your name.”

The girl’s lips parted as if she was going to say something, but his father suddenly wrapped an arm around Jhin’s shoulder and pat it. “Now, now, we can have proper introductions later. I’m sure you’re all tired from your long journey, especially you Vastayans. Jhin and the servants can show you around the palace and your chambers, so please take care to follow their lead.”

Soraka cupped her hands together by her face. “That would be lovely. Thank you, Your Majesty.” 

“Go on your way now. I have matters to take care of.” He let the servants take the new court musicians outside of the throne room first before turning to Jhin. “What do you think? I’ve been wanting to cheer you up since last week.”

“Is this what you’ve been planning the last few days? I was wondering why I didn’t see you often recently.”

His father grinned with a hearty laugh. “I wanted to make sure we got the best musicians to give this palace a little more “zazz”, as you always say. I also thought the last two musicians suit your preference in music.”

“The Vastayans are more suited for banquets or dances, but I did enjoy their music too.” Jhin’s brows furrowed after a pause. “Father, who is that brown-haired—”

A knock on the opposite side of the room interrupted his sentence. The doors opened to a woman in green and a man in blue. “Your Majesty. Your Imperial Highness. Forgive me for the interruption, but the ministers have finally gathered and are awaiting your arrival.”

“Ah, Karma. General Shen. Thank you for the notice. I was about to leave after having a chat with my son. I wouldn’t want to keep them waiting. Tell them I will be there within a minute. As for you, General Shen, I will listen to your report on the way, so stay right there.”

Karma bowed her head before turning to leave the throne room. Shen remained by the door, waiting. He sent Jhin a greeting smile, Jhin sending his own smile back. 

“Don’t let me hold you back. I’ll be going.” Jhin sent Shen an acknowledging nod before going through the opposite doors to join the court musicians. “My apologies for the wait. Let us get going.” He followed behind the group as the servants guided them around the palace. He synced his steps with one of the Vastayans in front of him to silence his presence as much as possible.

“Your Imperial Highness, His Majesty told us that you are interested in music and dancing,” Ahri said, turned to him. “Do you play and dance as well?”

There it was. “Yes. I was tutored by many in several genres of music and dances.”

“You perform too, then?” Rakan asked.

“Rakan, politely. We’re in front of the Crown Prince,” Ahri quietly reminded.

Jhin didn’t mind as much and brushed it off. “I only perform at banquets or during lessons.” 

“So… Do you have ballrooms you practice in?” Xayah asked curiously. 

A pause. Sighing, Jhin answered, “Yes. There is a ballroom when you turn left at the end of this hallway. It’ll be the last door you see on your right.”

Xayah gasped as she looked at Rakan. “They have a ballroom, baby! Isn’t that great?”

“When was the last time we were able to dance somewhere as grand as a ballroom?”

“Uh, never.”

“First time for everything, right?” The two giggled as Ahri rolled her eyes. 

Fantastic. There went one place he liked to hide in from the peering eyes of the palace. He found his relaxing spots dwindling one by one when Ahri asked the whereabouts of his room. “My room is, as obvious as it should be, prohibited. No one is allowed entry unless it is assigned servants or the king.”

“Aw, that’s a shame,” Ahri sang.

Jhin remained silent, not wanting to give Ahri a response to the implication in her voice.

They arrived to a door that opened to a large room that could fit eight. Two communal restrooms sat on opposite sides of the room. “This will be your chambers. We have already put your luggage inside. Mattresses and blankets have already been provided for you in separate closets also.” The servant glanced at Rakan, who cluelessly looked at her back. “Should, should we find…?”

“No, no, no need. He won’t be bothering anybody,” Xayah cut in, firmly adding in, “I’m sure no one will mind.”

“Yeah, it’ll be fine. I’m an early bird anyways.” Rakan snickered. “Get it?”

Xayah and Ahri rolled their eyes at his word play and moved into the room. Soraka and the other musician exchanged smiles and followed them inside to unpack their luggage. Jhin stood by the outside of their chambers, making sure there would be no problem before he decided to separate from the group.

“Seeing everything has been handled well, I shall be taking my leave. You are free to wander around wherever you’d like, except for guarded rooms, and you are allowed to play music for anyone else at their request. I will not limit your music to only me.” He pursed his lips at a thought. “I suppose… I will call you, should the need arise. Farewell.” He turned to leave until he felt a hand tugging at his sleeve.

It was the brown-haired musician. Her hand immediately flinched away with realization on her face. Her features contorted into shame, and she deeply bowed in apology. 

“Is there something you need?”

She opened her mouth as if to say something, but she pursed her lips and shook her head. She bowed again with an apologetic face. 

“Well then. I will take my leave.” Jhin left in slight confusion at her puzzling actions. He went to wander the palace alone, having ordered the servants to leave him be for now. He hoped there was no other court officials nearby to make pointless small talk to try to get something out of him. He ended up leaving the inner palace to the outer court, where he spotted Shen sparring with another general, Zed. When the two spotted him approaching, they stopped and bowed. “Shen. Zed. I didn’t interrupt, did I?”

“No, we were just practicing,” Shen reassured. “The court musicians must have come as a surprise to you, didn’t it? Your father ordered us to keep quiet, so I couldn’t tell you.”

“I would have, if Shen didn’t force me to keep my mouth shut.” Zed moved an inch away to evade a nudge from Shen. “So, Jhin, how do you feel about those musicians? We had to search all over the country just to find them.”

Shen and Zed, his most trusted aides and generals of the military, friends since childhood. All three had their differences, but they eventually grew to be an inseparable force together.

“They’re… nice, I suppose,” Jhin started. “I’m not sure how to feel about them yet, especially since father is putting them under my command. I’m not even sure if I  _ want _ them to be under my command, so I told them they’re free to do as they please as long as they follow the orders of the palace.”

The generals exchanged looks. “Are they like  _ those people _ ?”

“One tried. I made a mental note to try avoiding her, if possible. Otherwise, they’re nothing like those people.” He leaned against a wooden post with crossed arms. “The bird-like Vastayans seem like they’ll be using the ballroom often, so that’s off my list of places to hide.”

“You should have told them not to go in there, you coward.”

“Zed,” Shen called through gritted teeth.

“What? I’m not wrong.”

Jhin sighed. “Strangely enough.”

“Hey!” 

Shen and Jhin couldn’t help but let a snicker escape them. “I’m sure you’ll get used to it, Jhin. As long as you’re assertive, they’ll know not to step out of line.” Shen shrugged. “Besides, you know you’re not supposed to be hiding or escaping your duties. Don’t you remember the last time that happened?”

“Yes, yes, everyone thought I was kidnapped because my window happened to be open, so they were all told to look for me, when I was in the back of the ballroom the entire time. I get it.” He rolled his eyes. “It’s still not going to stop me. You both know it.”

“Unfortunately,” they both agreed.

“You want to take a go at sparring with us? We got plenty of time to kill since we’re getting a break after all that searching,” Zed suggested.

Jhin shrugged. “Why not? Hand me a sword.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was originally meant to be a one-shot for my Reunited collection. But as I kept writing it, the word count kept getting longer and longer, so I decided to turn it into its own series instead. :/ This won't be as long as Like A Rose, I think. Probably less than 10 chapters. But I hope you like it anyways!


	2. Imperial Garden

Sparring with Shen and Zed was always exhilarating. They knew how to take his mind off things whenever his work was piling up on him. His head felt clearer than before. He walked down the hall of the inner palace, his feet taking him to the one place he knew he could relax without the attention of court officials.

The Imperial Garden.

For one, the gardeners paid no mind to the Crown Prince seemingly hiding from the calls of servants searching for him. They would be too immersed in their work to bother. The garden was almost like a jungle to him, as the taller bushes and trees hid him well from the eyes of officials. His most favorite spot was near a corner, which hid him from most angles of the wooden handrails that separated the halls of the inner palace and the garden.

He stopped in his tracks when he saw the same brown-haired musician standing behind the handrails with her instrument floating by her side, her eyes filled with admiration as she gazed out into the colorful garden. All of a sudden, he dreaded going into the garden in fear that this would get taken away from him too. But his feet and voice betrayed him.

“You can go in, you know.” Jhin opened the gate a few feet from the musician and gestured her to enter first. “It’s more beautiful from the inside.”

The girl only let out a hesitant breath before bowing and stepping through the gate first. In that moment, her eyes seemed to shine brighter than the sunlight flooding in. She approached a nearby rosebush and gently touched the flowers to smell their scent. She made a sound similar to a giggle.

Jhin followed her as she continued to walk through the garden with a skip in her steps.

“Do you like gardens?”

She flinched when she noticed Jhin was behind her. She first smiled in apology but nodded silently with nothing but joy in her eyes. 

Hm. Even a direct question didn’t spark any words from her. Everything this girl did was in silence. The gears suddenly started turning until it all clicked together. The realization was so abrupt that he had to take a moment to gather his thoughts together. 

“My apologies if this sounds rude, but… can you not speak?”

The girl’s hand reached for her throat as she nodded her head with a frown.

“You’re mute?”

Her head perked up at his question and gestured to him while fiercely nodding her head. She bowed to him again as if apologizing. 

It all made sense to him now. “... I see. I didn’t know you were mute.” He stood before her awkwardly, now knowing that his assumption of her being impolite was wrong. To think her silence was actually a physiological problem. He felt foolish for having that impression of her. He brought up his hand to his lips with a clearing of this throat. “Well, I do hope you enjoy this garden and what it has to offer. It is a spacious garden filled with many different plants and a koi pond to your right. I will be parting ways from here, if you don’t mind.”

Sona nodded and bowed until he left. She headed towards her right to visit the pond he was talking about, but she couldn’t help but turn her head towards the direction Jhin disappeared into. She blinked a few times in curiosity before turning back and disappearing into her original path.

A rustling came from the bushes Jhin disappeared into as he brushed them out of the way. “Oh, I forgot to ask your… name…” He sighed when he saw Sona by the pond already. Chasing after her just to ask for her name didn’t seem ideal. Besides, he came here to relax. He’d ask her another time.

Jhin found the tree near the corner of the garden, barely touched as usual, and nestled himself between two roots that dipped in the center. The lush leaves provided him the shade and a bit of sunlight that soothed his troubled heart every time he came here. Sona then bubbled up to his thoughts, her shy but happy smile gracing her features. 

He shook away the thought and went back to daydreaming under the speckles of sunlight shining through the leaves.

* * *

 

A rush of adrenaline coursed through Jhin’s veins as he ran through the empty halls of the inner palace. He had planned on escaping his room again after being unable to bear staying inside for so long. As soon as he was nearing a corner of a hallway, he dashed away from his servants following a few feet behind him, leaving them frozen in their tracks in confusion. 

By the time his servants realized he was running away again, they chased after him. But he had disappeared into one of the rooms in the next hall, forcing them to search all the rooms for the prince.

One of the servants had managed to find him trying to escape through another window. “Your Highness! This is the second floor! Where are you going?!”

“Anywhere but here.” Jhin jumped out of the window, rolling on his shoulder on the ground onto his feet and making a break for it as the servant tried to call him back. He leapt over the handrails of the adjacent hallway and continued on his way. He headed towards the garden, where no one would be able to find him there.

He skidded across the hallway and hopped over the gate to the garden. Running straight and then to his left, he spotted the narrow trail he kept hidden with the bushes and ran through, his figure disappearing from sight. He quickly rearranged the bush to hide the trail before watching from behind.

The first few seconds of silence were followed by the approaching footsteps and voices of his servants searching for him. He ducked his head closer to his body, his breath stagnant in his lungs.

“Your Highness! Your Highness!” three servants called as they ran through the halls. They met up near a corner, their breaths heavy from so much running.

“Have you seen him yet?”

“No, I haven’t. I can’t find him anywhere.”

“How could we lose sight of him again?!” a servant groaned exasperatedly before running off the opposite direction.

“Your Highness, please come back!”

“I can’t believe that bastard ran off again…” Zed muttered under his breath, audible enough for Shen to hear. “I thought he’d learn his lesson by now.”

“You know how he feels about the palace, Zed. I can’t say I blame him, but I can’t let his actions slide either. At least the servants called us instead of getting the entire palace to look for him like last time.” Shen sighed. “Your Highness! Where are you?” They idly walked through the halls and past his panicking servants. “Have you checked the ballroom?”

“Yeah. He’s definitely not in there. All I found was that Vastayan couple dancing alone. I would have said it was creepy to walk into if I hadn’t seen them in the middle of making out and wanting to fuck each other on the spot.”

“I truly wish I could unhear what you just said, Zed. I really do.”

Zed snorted with a satisfied grin. “Too late.”

They walked past the garden, not noticing the blue eyes that peered from behind the bush of violet and pink flowers. 

Jhin watched them pass by without a care for this place. This was another thing he liked about the garden. It was the one place neither Shen nor Zed knew to look for him. He was about to let out a sigh he was holding in until a hand tapped his shoulder, making him jump and stumble backwards on his bottom. He looked up to see Sona in shock. 

Sona gasped and scrambled to try helping him up.

“Your Highness!” The servant’s voice sounded too close to the garden for comfort.

“No, don’t!” he hissed as he pulled her down and slapped his palm across her lips. “Do not make a sound.” He waited. 

“I doubt he’s here. Where else can we even look?”

“Come on, let’s try the outer court.” The taps of their shoes became more and more distant until they were gone.

He let out what he thought was the biggest sigh of his life. That was close. Too close. He turned to see Sona’s bewildered eyes under him, his face inches from hers. His eyes widened, and he scrambled a few feet away from her. “I, I’m, I’m very sorry. I didn’t mean…” he stammered, his face flushed red.

Sona shook her hands in front of her to say she was okay, her face tinted red also. She gave him a questioning look and gestured to him, asking if he was alright himself.

“Yes, uh, you just gave me quite a scare. I didn’t think there was anyone else here.” His brows then furrowed. His hideout spot. She was in his hideout spot. “How did you…? How did you get here? It shouldn’t be easy to find that path to this place.” 

She only blinked and tilted her head in confusion. The path wasn’t that difficult to find. She pointed to the path she had taken towards the corner. 

It was a narrow path of bushes that snaked through the farthest corner and around the entire garden. It was another path he used to escape from the occasional wandering servants that strolled in the garden on their break. It was a more noticeable path compared to the one he always took. 

So that’s how she got in.

“You. Follow me.” He lead her to the tree he often rested by and sat her down. “I want you to swear to me that you will never speak of this place to anyone. This is the one place no one can find me in, and I refuse to cross this garden off my list of places I can relax in. Swear. To. Me.”

Sona’s eyes jerked to the side, then down, and then back to him. Her lips pulled into a flat line as she raised her shoulders slightly. She brought her hand up to her throat and tapped it. 

Oh. Right. She was mute. “It doesn’t matter! Promise me you won’t tell anyone about this.”

She nodded, still bewildered, and even made a crossing motion near her heart to seal her promise. She watched the tension in his posture loosen as he looked away to the handrails that were barely visible through the bushes. Not knowing what to do now, she slightly shifted into a more comfortable position and sat in silence, waiting for any sort of order from him. 

“Ah, I just remembered. You already disappeared into the garden that day when I tried to ask you for your name, but I would like to take this opportunity to ask now.”

Her hand reached over to her instrument and plucked notes. Do-Re-Mi-Fa-So-La. So. La. So-La.

“Sola?” He saw her immediately part her teeth to show her flat tongue touching behind her teeth and bringing it back down. It took a few attempts to figure out what she was mouthing. “Oh! Sona, is it?”

The girl nodded her head. She let out a breath of relief now that he finally knew her name. 

“Is that what you were trying to tell me back there at your chambers?”

Sona lowered her head, her arms tucked into her body and fingers fidgeting around each other. She gave him a small nod.

“Sona,” he repeated. “It’s a lovely name.”

She brought her hands to her chest and smiled at him, her eyes squinting with happiness. She mouthed a ‘thank you’ and plucked a few chipper notes that sounded like laughter. She was nothing like the impudent girl Jhin first thought her to be. More courteous and considerate.

“Well, it was nice to finally get to know you, Sona. I’m rather glad I was able to have a talk with you privately.” A moment of silence passed before Jhin changed the subject. “I assume you’ve been coming to the garden frequently. Do you always walk around the garden whenever you visit?” She slightly shrugged with a sway of her head, one corner of her lip twitching up into a crooked smile. “You wander around and find a place you want to sit by?”

Her crooked smile turned into a full smile to affirm his guess. 

He chuckled. “Funny. I used to do that too until I found this place.” 

Sona plucked her instrument to catch his attention. She pointed at herself and to the area and made a walking gesture with her two fingers. She then pointed at the sun to make an arch down.

“Hm…” He hummed in thought as he tried to interpret her gestures. “Something about coming here?”

She repeated the arching movement while pointing to the sun.

“Um, oh, you’d like to come here tomorrow also?”

The tip of her finger touched her lips as she tried to think of another way to put her words. She mouthed,  _ “May I?” _ as she made the same gestures again.

Ah. She was asking if she can come here again tomorrow. “Do you like it here?”

She nodded again with a peaceful gaze. 

There was no lie in her eyes. He hesitated, but if she already swore to keep his hideout a secret, he supposed it wouldn’t hurt to let her visit. “Alright. But only you. Feel free to come by whenever you’d like. I will put my trust in you to be as discreet as possible when coming here.”

Sona crossed her heart again to promise him.

“Very well then.”

Perhaps the garden didn’t need to be crossed off his list after all.

* * *

 

The crescent moon shined its sliver of light onto the garden, lighting its flowers and bushes in a blue glow. Sona sat by the pond of the garden, her instrument sitting beside her while she gazed at the koi swimming leisurely in the water. Their spots glowed in the darkness of the night, looking like little flames dancing in the water under the moonlight.

Unable to sleep, she had snuck out of her chambers and silently made her way to the garden to relax. She exhaled as she listened to the bamboo clack against the stones to release the gathered water inside from the stream pouring into it. It soothed her restless mind from her sudden insomnia. She pulled her shawl closer for warmth.

She dipped her fingers in the water and swished them around to watch the ripples. The koi, unbothered, continued to swim around, though a little beyond arm length. 

Sona missed home. Her village. It hadn’t been more than two weeks, and here she was, already feeling homesick. The salty breeze from the ocean, the calls of other fisherman as they hauled in their catches, and the ringing of the dock bell when other boats came back safely from their search. It was one of the smaller and poorer villages of Ionia, being so far from the mainland, but everyone was like family there. She missed them.

Her shoulders shivered from the chilly wind blowing through her knit shawl. Perhaps it was time to go inside. She stood up, dusting her robe, and walked down the hall to her chambers.

Hidden in the shadows of the hall, Jhin watched her until her figure was nothing but an unrecognizable figure. He rubbed his exhausted eyes as he entered the gate. His feet took him to the same hidden path he always took, but his eyes strayed to the pond. He changed direction and loomed over the rocks, the glowing koi dashing away into crevices to hide.

He sat down, calmly waiting for the fish to come back out and swim around again. Dark circles colored the bags of his eyes from a memory turned into terror. Jhin sighed. He didn’t want to go back to sleep in fear it would come back to haunt him in his sleep again.

Slowly, the fish began to swim out one by one, coloring the water once again with their ethereal glow. Their soft orange and golden colors almost seemed to make this pond… more vibrant. He found himself smiling and wondering why he hadn’t ever noticed them before.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the wait! I'm working on a short Warwick comic, and it took a bit of my time!


	3. Playing with Fire

Sona jumped against the bark of the tree when Jhin stumbled out of the brushes with his head low and in a hurry. The birds that had gathered to peck at the grass around her flapped away into the tree above. She watched him as he peered through the foliage towards the hallway of the palace. His shoulders dropped with a quiet sigh of relief. From the halls, she heard the desperate cries of his servants who cluelessly ran past the garden into the next building.

He was running from his duties again…

A soft strum of her instrument made his shoulders shoot back up in panic. His breath caught in his throat as he turned around. His contorted expression slightly softened when he realized it was just her. “I didn’t think you’d be out here this early,” he mumbled.

She flashed him a knowing smile after bowing her head, turning back to plucking at the strings. 

“I know what you’re thinking,” he started, “and it is exactly what you think I am doing.”

Her shoulders shook with her silent giggle. She shook her head with a smile as if telling him he should go finish his work.

“Paperwork can wait. Relaxation can’t.”

Sona was sure it was the opposite, but she couldn’t help but laugh. Her head perked up when she heard the Generals’ voices near the garden.

“You ever wonder why we never check this place?” Zed asked. “Knowing him, it almost seems like a place he’d run off to.”

Gentle rustling of bushes were approaching closer to the narrow path Jhin takes to the corner of the garden. “I guess we just never thought about it. One way to find out.”

Jhin sat up in a panic. Shit, they could find him easily if he didn’t hide soon. For a moment, he and Sona met each other’s gaze with a silent acknowledgement of what they had to do. There was no time. Shen and Zed were already in close proximity to the hidden path, and with Zed, he’d spot it immediately.

The tips of the bushes past the hedges and other bushes shook from a strong shove. They found the path, and their footsteps were growing near with each second. By this time, Jhin had already crouched on his feet to find somewhere to hide.

Sona pointed to a dense bush in the corner, where thick ivy was growing along the walls, and hurriedly ushered him towards it.

“Your Highness?”

She pushed him behind the bush and crawled towards the shade of the tree. She stiffly planted herself on the grass when Shen and Zed poked their heads out of the hedges. She jumped to mimic fright while expressing surprise. 

“Oh! Our apologies, we didn’t mean to interrupt.” Shen looked around the area. “Have you seen His Highness, by any chance?”

Under Zed’s scrutinizing eye, Sona almost felt pressured to tell the truth. She resisted the urge to look away from their gaze and shook her head firmly. She pressed a finger to her lip in thought. If she was His Highness, where could she lead them to? She held her arms up and swayed her torso about as if she was dancing.

“The ballroom?” Shen said. “Have you checked there?”

“What’s the point? That Vastayan couple is probably making out in there anyways. He wouldn’t be there.”

A snort came from the bushes by the corner, immediately drawing the Generals’ attention to Jhin’s direction. Sona’s hands shot up to her face with a shocked expression. She looked at the Generals, who turned their attention back to her. She pretended to cover her face in embarrassment, peeking at Jhin’s direction.

Shen coughed, trying to hold back a chuckle. “It’s, it’s okay. There’s nothing wrong with snorting when you’re laughing.” He elbowed Zed, whose shoulders were shaking from his muffled laughter, in the ribs. “Anyways, sorry to interrupt you. Please let us know if you see His Highness anywhere.” He then dragged his chuckling partner out of the garden with increasing speed in his steps.

After a minute of silence, Sona shot a hard glare at the bush once the Generals’ footsteps were out of earshot. The bush was quivering as Jhin’s chuckling sounded from behind. She blew a strand of hair out of her eyes and rolled her eyes. 

“I… I can’t believe you took that fall,” he said through chuckles. His head came out from the bush, his hair and shoulders covered in leaves.

Sona raised a questioning brow. Did he really have to utter a laugh in that moment? 

Jhin approached the tree once more, taking the leaves out of his hair before relaxing underneath the shade. “Thank you for leading them away, even though it was at your expense.”

She breathed out a laughter, shaking her head, as she approached him with an extended arm. She picked out a small leaf wedged between locks of his hair and flicked it away. She bowed her head as her answer to his thanks. 

* * *

 

The moonlight filtering out of the clouds through the window of the chambers awoke Sona. She slowly sat up and rubbed her eyes to clear the blurriness. Next to her, Soraka slept peacefully under her blanket, unfazed by the moonlight. Xayah and Rakan were also sleeping quietly, Rakan smacking his lips in his sleep. But the mattress beside Rakan and Xayah’s was empty with the blanket still neatly folded in the corner.

Ahri hadn’t come back yet. And iit was past curfew. Worried, Sona snuck out of their chambers to search for her. If rumors were correct, Ahri frequented the east hall late at night.

Her steps were quiet, almost soundless against the stone floor, as she hurried towards the east hall. Careful not to disturb any nobles—or worse, His Majesty or His Highness—she slipped out the hall doors in the shadows. From behind, a shadow of a figure approached the door.

Sona listened as she walked down the east hall, picking up murmurs and snoring of the nobles who slept in their chambers. From the end of one hall, she heard Ahri’s giggle from behind the door of a noble’s chamber. But the usual chirp in her voice wasn’t there.

“It was a pleasure, my Lord, but I must go,” Ahri pleaded as she pushed the doors of a noble’s chambers open. “I do have a performance to lead tomorrow.”

A large hand grabbed hold of Ahri’s wrist to stop her from leaving. “Come now, you can spend the night in my chambers. Surely you can’t leave so early.” The noble smacked his lips. “And a man unsatisfied.”

“My Lord, I think you’ve misunderstood. I must be fully prepared to perform tomorrow morning with the other court musicians. I simply don’t have the time tonight.”

The noble didn’t loosen his grip, only tightening it around her wrist. “Like I said, you can spend the night in my chambers.” He pulled her closer to him, despite her other hand trying to get his hand off her. “I don’t think you know the kind of power I have over you, Vastaya.”

“I do not think—” Ahri’s hand stiffened as she forced her wrist out of his grasp, “—you understand what kind of power I also have, my Lord.”

“Is that a threat?” Anger laced the noble’s voice at Ahri’s implication.

This was going to go out of control. Without a second thought, Sona rushed in between Ahri and the noble with one arm extended to protect her. 

“Sona?” Ahri called in shock. “What are you doing here?” Sona turned to Ahri with a gesture pointing to her eyes then to Ahri. “You were looking for me?”

Before Sona could nod, the noble shoved Sona aside. “How dare you interrupt me? Isn’t it past curfew for you,  _ musician _ ?”

She balanced herself and returned to Ahri’s side, using her own body to shield her from the noble with one hand hovering over the strings of her mysterious instrument, now still by her side. This was pushing it. This was definitely pushing things. She couldn’t defy a noble of the inner palace without consequences.

“Go back to your chambers, and that’s an order, musician. You are not involved in this.” The anger in the noble’s voice became clearer, more intense. 

“Go. It’s okay,” Ahri insisted, taking hold of Sona’s arm and try to pull her aside. 

Sona bowed her head before shaking it, further determined to make sure he lets Ahri leave. 

“You insolent…!” The noble raised his hand.

A gasp escaped Ahri as she tried to pull Sona away while Sona plucked a single note on her instrument. Ahri stood, stunned, in silence. The noble stopped his hand only inches away from Sona’s cheek, looking dazed from the drone of Sona’s instrument. Another drone sounded with a pluck.

Sona nudged Ahri’s arm and gestured to say something to the noble. Ahri released the breath she held inside. “My Lord, it has been an interesting night. But I must go back to my chambers, since it’s past curfew.”

Another pluck.

“Yes… of course. You may leave,” the noble drawled flatly. He returned inside and closed the doors of his room, still dazed. 

The two shared a silent moment of relief and hurried out of the east hall before anyone else got involved. But from a distance watched a pair of blue eyes, which followed the girls until they disappeared into the other hall.

* * *

 

The court musicians gathered in front of the palace, their instruments at the ready before the citizens of the capital city who had come to hear the music of the new court musicians of the palace. Many dressed in elegant and luxurious clothing, a clear sign of those who lived in the wealth of the capital.

“Just like we practiced, girls. You too, Rakan,” Ahri said, earning nods from the others. They stood up and bowed, returning to their cushions and Rakan stepping in to the center in front of Ahri. “3, 2, 1.”

They started out with a simple homophony, Ahri leading everyone as they played while Rakan danced to the music. As they hit the chorus, Sona and Soraka deviated from accompanying Ahri and Xayah and began playing a different melody to harmonize with the main. 

Pleasant gasps sounded from the audience once Rakan’s golden magic seeped out into waves of light and flashes to the rhythm of the music.

The audience broke into applause when the musicians finished their set list, some even shouting from within the crowd for an encore. They bowed once more, remaining still until the audience’s applause softened into silence. They then moved to the side to let His Majesty make a speech to the citizens.

“Sona,” Ahri quietly called out as she tiptoed closer to Sona. “I haven’t thanked you for saving me last night. Thank you. I think it would’ve gotten bad had I pushed further.”

Sona smiled in relief. It was enough to see Ahri safe and sound, and that’s all she needed. She slightly nodded her head and mouthed, “You’re welcome.” 

Ahri shot back a genuine smile. “When we’re done with all this, you want to go eat something in the city? My treat.” She giggled when Sona pointed at herself in surprise. “Of course, silly. It’s the least I can do.” A soft cough directed Ahri and Sona’s attention to Jhin, whose eyes were pointing at his father who had gestured to the court musicians to thank them for their performance. “Time to bow, girls. Rakan too.” They bowed again to the audience’s applause. 

Once the citizens left the palace, the residents returned to their duties or their chambers. The court musicians decided to part ways after being praised by His Majesty, Ahri and Sona making their way towards the grand doors of the palace to head to the city.

“Sona,” Jhin’s voice sounded from behind. Ahri and Sona turned to see Jhin a few steps behind, his hands cupped behind his back. “I would like to speak to you, please.”

The two exchanged glances, and Ahri gestured Sona to go. “I’ll wait by the entrance gates. You take your time.” She bowed her head before leaving the two alone. Before she stepped outside, she couldn’t help but glance at their direction, seeing Jhin speaking to her in a softer voice and Sona listening with gentle curiosity. She sighed and pursed her lips before descending the white steps of the palace.

“May I ask what happened in the east hall last night?” Jhin asked.

Sona’s eyes slightly widened as she stifled a gasp with the cup of her hand. Her eyes nervously darted around, her fingers curling to her palms. He saw. She uncurled them and placed them flatly against the strings of her instrument. 

“Was that… magic?” 

Ah, as expected of His Highness. There was no hiding anything from him. She reluctantly nodded, sweeping her fingers from her other hand to the strings. She plucked a droning note, then swept a hand over her face into a dazed expression. The tips of her fingers touched her lips, spreading them outward, and touched her ear.

“Is it like hypnosis?”

She put a finger to the bottom of her lip in thought, but she shook her head.

“I see…” Jhin nodded in faint understanding. After a brief pause, he continued, “I thought I should at least bring this to your attention, as I spotted you walking in the hall when I was taking a rest from my work. I planned to stop that noble when he tried to drag Ahri back inside, but then you stepped in. What you did was rather brash, but I didn’t realize you had that kind of ability.”

Sona answered with a sheepish shrug. 

“I suppose you have other skills you can do with your magic,” he murmured. He clasped his hands with a small smile. “I don’t want to hold you back, since I believe you have plans right now. But I hope you don’t mind if I bring this up again later.”

Sona shook her head with a soft smile. She bowed her head and hurried out the grand doors to meet Ahri at the entrance.

Jhin stood in the hall to mull over last night’s event. There was a possibility that that noble most likely wouldn’t give up after last night. Given the court musicians were practically his responsibility, a warning to the noble could deter him and anyone else from harming any of the musicians. 

After all, word spreads fast among the nobles. He would know.

* * *

 

“I don’t know about you,” Ahri said, sipping a cup of tea, and leaning in towards Sona, “but I think His Highness might have taken a liking to you.” She giggled when Sona nearly choked on her snack. “I’m only saying my thoughts, you know. I don’t think I’ve ever seen him look remotely interested in any of us—or anyone in the palace, no less.”

Sona released a breath after taking a sip of tea, tenderly cupping her cheek and looking uncertain of Ahri’s claims. Her cheeks were hot, no doubt they were looking red too.

“Do you like him?” Ahri asked with a knowing smile. 

A glottal grunt sounded from Sona’s throat as she shyly pulled at the hem of her clothes. She lowered her head in shame. How could she even answer that without giving away that she occasionally meets him in the garden? To others, she was a mute court musician who liked to frequent the halls of the inner palace.

“There’s nothing wrong with loving another, Sona.” Ahri stared at her reflection in her teacup, her expression growing dark for a moment before changing to her usual charm. “I kind of want to root for you somehow.”

“Ha…” Sona exhaled a chuckle. But she shook her head. Even if something were to develop, no one would accept the mute court musician from a simple seaside village. There wouldn’t even be a point, and she knew it well.

Ahri leaned her cheek against her hand and gazed at Sona sympathetically. “Oh, Sona…” Her eyes quickly darted to the table before looking back up. “Say, do you… perhaps know where His Highness usually goes? I often hear from the servants and nobles that he runs away from his duties a lot.”

Sona stifled a laughter from remembering the first time Jhin stumbled into the garden to hide from Generals Shen and Zed. She blinked and pretended not to know his whereabouts.

Ahri tapped a finger against the wood. “Hm, I wonder where he  _ would _ go…”

Not knowing where this was leading, Sona shrugged and stared out the open window at the busy streets. Meanwhile, Ahri’s eyes discreetly followed Sona’s gaze into the street at a certain shop right across them. A pair of similarly golden eyes stared back at hers. Ahri sighed and shook her head. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy New Year's, everyone!! I'm glad I was able to get this finished in time for today! I hope you all have a great 2018 and do your best to fulfill your new year resolutions! <3


	4. Kindled Flames

“Oh! Sona! Soraka!” Ahri called out to Sona, who was taking a stroll through the inner palace with Soraka, as she ran up to her. “Do you two have any plans today?”

A brief pause, and Soraka shook her head. “Not that we’re aware of. Did you want to go out into the city?”

“Yes! There’s this new shop full of cute little ornaments to put in your hair, and I thought it’d be nice to check them out with you two.” Ahri stepped back to examine Soraka and Sona. “I can definitely see the two of you with some of the stuff I’ve seen. We’d look fantastic together! So, want to go?”

Sona tilted her head in curiosity and nodded with a happy smile.

“Why not? The weather is nice today. A bit of fresh air could do us some good.”

Ahri grinned. “Awesome! Come on, come on, let’s go while the the day’s still bright!” She quickly ushered the two out of the palace, excitedly guiding them to the shop while gushing about what she’s seen. “Oh, and there’s this cute, ruby red hairstick I saw at the front that I think would look absolutely gorgeous on me. I think I might buy it if they still have any left.”

Ever since Sona had helped Ahri escape from the noble, the two had grown closer. Sona often found herself in Ahri’s company when there was nothing to do. At least, not when Jhin was free to visit the garden. But Ahri’s company was just as delightful, and she was happy to have made another friend.

“It’d be a wonderful addition to your look, especially during performances,” Soraka added, also receiving an agreeing nod from Sona.

“You think so too, right? Ugh, I’ve been meaning to get a new look since I came here.” She then turned around and held her arms out to present the newly-opened hair accessory shop. “Tada! What do you think?” The shop had boxes of different hair accessories displayed outside on tables. The inside of the shop contained even more intricate accessories decorating the walls and displayed in fancier boxes.

Ahri excitedly headed inside first with a box she grabbed from the front, while Soraka and Sona happily followed behind to look at the other accessories. Sona was looking at a box of hairsticks, wondering if any of them would suit her. She looked over to Soraka, who was holding golden hair cuffs in her hands. She approached Soraka and pointed at her cuffs.

“I thought they looked nice. They also seem simple and easy to put on, don’t you think?”

Sona nodded. She then looked at Soraka’s long hair, which reached down to her legs. She held up three fingers while pointing to the cuffs with her other hand.

Soraka laughed. “Yes, I think that’s a good number. Can you help me put on the first cuff? I can handle the last two.” She handed Sona one to cuff the middle of her hair. Once in place, Sona held up a nearby mirror for Soraka to see. “Hm, not bad! I actually like how it looks. It keeps my hair from scattering all over the place too.”

“That looks great on you, Soraka,” Ahri commented, hopping over with a carefully wrapped box in her hands. “You might even be able to wear that everyday, if you wanted to.”

“Oh yes, definitely.” She held up the price tag for one cuff and hummed in thought. “I have more than enough saved to buy three, at least. Though, I’m wondering if I should buy one or two extra, just in case I lose one.”

“Backups aren’t a bad idea, young lady,” the elderly shop owner said. “I used to lose one all the time when I was younger. They’re easy to misplace.”

“I suppose one or two wouldn’t hurt, then,” Soraka said as she picked two more cuffs into her hand. “I’ll take these, please.”

Ahri turned to Sona. “Anything that catches your eye?”

Sona opened her mouth as if to say something but quickly closed it into a pout, looking around. She shrugged, not having found anything she could use yet. She always wore her hair in twintails, and there weren’t much she could wear without drastically changing her hairstyle.

“Hush you. I’m sure we can find something.” Ahri looked around the shop with Sona, occasionally holding up an accessory to Sona’s hair, putting it back where it was, and taking her to another accessory. She skidded to a stop and backed a few steps as she spotted a red headpiece in a box.

The centerpiece was red with golden wire wrapped around the head. “Maybe…” Ahri picked it up and held it up to Sona’s head. “Oh? Excuse me, miss, can you tell me how to put this on?”

The shop owner approached Ahri and Sona and took the headpiece in her hands. “Ah, this one. I would say this is one of my finest works. This can work just by putting it on top of your head, but for you…” The shop owner rubbed her chin with her hand, examining Sona’s hair. “Would you mind sitting down for me, dearie? I have an idea that could work out.” She sat Sona down by the back in front of a mirror and started wrapping some of Sona’s twintails into buns and letting the rest fall to her back. She then fit the wire around the buns, keeping them in place, and clipped the side pieces on top of the rest of her hair. “How about this?”

“Ooh!” Ahri and Soraka hummed in interest. “That looks like a perfect fit! And you look so cute with the buns!”

Sona turned her head to the sides. Indeed, the headpiece really did look cute. In fact, she even thought it matched her hair and outfit quite well. But the price was… expensive. Even with her decent salary as a court musician, she didn’t have enough saved up to buy it. She sighed and shook her head at Ahri and Soraka, sadly smiling while pointing to her coin pouch.

Ahri and Soraka frowned. “Not enough,” Soraka confirmed. “Miss, would it be possible to keep this on hold for a while?”

“I don’t do holds, unfortunately, I’m very sorry. This headpiece is one of my finest handcrafted works, and it looks lovely on a beauty like you, dearie. But as there is only one of this  in the shop, I do require the full payment.”

Oh well. At least there was something that suited her. Perhaps she can come back next time once she saved up enough. She carefully unclipped the headpiece, the buns falling into her twintails once more, and set it back in its box. She bowed to the owner and happily smiled.

“You are always welcome here, dearie. While I can’t sell this without the full payment, I will try to deter customers from this as long as I can until you come back. How about that?”

“Aw, you’re so sweet! That would be great, thank you!”

A satisfied smile graced the shop owner’s face. “You all come back soon,” she said as they greeted her goodbye.

“Hm, that’s a shame… It would’ve been nice if you got it,” Ahri leaned down to whisper, “Maybe His Highness would’ve liked it too.”

A light blush spread on Sona’s face as she softly smacked Ahri on the arm. She pouted when Ahri giggled. Ahri would never pass up an opportunity to tease her when it came to Jhin. She gasped in mock offense when Soraka started giggling too.

“I would be lying if I said I wasn’t interested in such a development,” Soraka said. “Though, I do wonder. How did you come to like him? I rarely ever see you with him.”

“But he _does_ talk to her more than he talks to any of _us_ ,” Ahri pointed out. She inched closer to Sona with a sly smile. “Are you sure you haven’t been meeting with him behind our backs?” She repeatedly tapped her lips with her finger. “Don’t tell me you were meeting him in his own room?”

Sona’s eyes widened and shook her head violently. She conveyed every gesture she knew that she would never do such a thing. Completely impossible. Never ever ever.

“Enough teasing, Ahri. I think we’ve done enough,” Soraka said as she laughed. Ahri only winked. “You’re not going to wear your hairstick? You seemed like you wanted to leave with it on.”

“No, not just yet. I wanted to show it off when Xayah was around, maybe make her jealous a little bit.” Ahri raised her brows up and down. “But then again, I don’t think she’s interested in this stuff.” She shrugged. “Oh well, I’ll still look good anyways. Let’s get going!”

* * *

 

Jhin was walking down the hall with papers in his hands as he intently read the contents. He sighed. There were more mysterious attacks in other villages closer to the forests and mountainsides. Were they wild animal attacks? Or stampedes? It couldn’t have been. The attacks seemed too precise, almost planned.

Not to mention, these attacks would happen right after the military would make their rounds. It would be a while before the military would visit again, so it was as if the attackers knew when they were leaving. And when the military would come to visit the attacked village, another would be attacked in the meantime.

But how? No one but the Council, including the Generals, would know about this.

He suddenly stopped in his tracks. His eyes left the papers in realization.

There was an infiltrator sending information about the military and village locations in the country. Somewhere in the palace. He squinted in suspicion. But who? An attendant? A noble? A soldier?

Or perhaps…

“Your Highness!” a voice sang. He looked up to see Ahri skipping over to him. “Where would you be heading off to on this fine day?”

“Ahri,” he greeted. “Is something the matter?”

Her fox-like eyes grew a little rounder as she tilted her head. “Not really. I was just curious.” They wandered to the contents of the papers, which were swiftly tucked behind Jhin’s back before she could read anything. “A highly confidential report, I see. How mysterious.”

“Yes, well, I do need to finish my paperwork, so if you’ll excuse me.” Jhin stifled a sigh, walking past Ahri and hearing her skippy footsteps behind him. He stopped and turned to her. “Are you sure there is nothing you need?”

At this, Ahri’s ears twitched. “I can’t hide anything from you, can I, Your Highness?” She took a step towards Jhin. “It’s just that you rarely ever visit us court musicians.” Another step forward. “You have yet to call us to play anything for you.” Another step. “Don’t you think it’s a little too useless of us to not play a single song for His Imperial Highness, unlike what His Majesty asked?”

Jhin held up a hand before Ahri took another step, stopping her in her place. “That was my father’s decision, his will. I simply do not know how to handle the responsibility of having you all under my authority just yet.” He stood still, observing Ahri’s stance. Her twitching ears. A sign of impatience. “That aside, you seem to have an ulterior motive. If that happens to be making advances on me, I would advise against it.”

The curl of a fox’s smile turned into a frown. Her ears still twitched. Her eyes began to glow. “Your Highness, where do you like to spend your free time?”

“What?” He looked up into her eyes, a mistake he should not have made.

Sona approached the hall where Jhin’s room was, not having seen Jhin in the garden today. Strange. He did say he would stop by later. Her instrument followed closely behind, the sunlight glinting off the golden frame. She turned the corner, only to back up upon seeing Jhin against the wall… with Ahri standing right in front of him.

Her brows furrowed. What was going on? She squinted to read Ahri’s lips, only catching “free time”. Jhin, meanwhile, seemed to be in a daze, his eyes fixated on Ahri. Dread pooled in her stomach. Something didn’t feel right. She felt like they were being watched. She leaned against the wall, not knowing what to do.

The sunlight from the instrument’s gold frame blinded her for a moment, averting her attention to the instrument. She gasped softly. That’s it.

Hair as black as the ink staining a calligraphy brush. Eyes as golden as parchment paper. White butterflies seemed to materialize into his vision like wisps of smoke. Ahri’s words continued to echo: “Where do you like to spend your free time?” He felt compelled to answer. How could he not, when her voice reminded him of a harmony of little bells?

Jhin opened his mouth to tell her what she wanted to know so much. “The one place I know no one sees me…” he started, “the g—”

Suddenly, the butterflies vanished like an extinguished candle. Something else was flooding in, clearing his mind of all he was seeing of Ahri. Music. The familiar plucking of strings that reminded him of dew sparkling on the grass after rainfall. He snapped out of his trance and pressed the back of his head against the wall once he realized how close Ahri was. He looked around, immediately looking at the corner where Sona was.

Ahri’s eyes glanced at the other hall, where she caught strands of brown hair hurriedly hiding behind the corner. She smiled when Jhin rushed past her. But her smile was full of regret and apology. Jhin’s gaze lingered on her for a moment more before he quickly turned the corner.

“Uh, what was that?” another voice sounded from the other side of the hall, opposite to where Jhin disappeared to.

“What was what?” Ahri asked back.

“Whatever that was. Kinda seems like we ran into some sort of shitshow.”

“Xayah, don’t start. Just don’t even say anything.”

“Man, even I could’ve done a better job charming the guy. You gotta work on your charming skills, Ahri,” Rakan commented.

Ahri’s ears twitched in annoyance. “Whatever. The moment’s passed. I’m going back to our chambers.” She proceeded to walk past Xayah and Rakan until Xayah grabbed her wrist. “What?” She didn’t receive an answer. Only a stare. “Hmph.” She shook her wrist out of Xayah’s grip and went on her way.

“What you thinkin’ about?” Rakan asked.

“She’s acting weird,” Xayah replied. “It doesn’t matter, anyways.”

 

Sona reluctantly followed Jhin to the garden, after he had requested her to follow him. She couldn’t tell what Jhin was thinking. But all she could think about was what was happening between Jhin and Ahri. What if she had interrupted something? They seemed to be having some sort of moment, right?

She was so preoccupied with her thoughts that she walked into Jhin’s back, Jhin having stopped in front of the garden. She rubbed her forehead and tried to strum an apology.

“It’s, uh, not what you think it was,” Jhin muttered. He turned around with pursed lips and nearly crinkling the papers in his hand. “Ahri, she is a, a Vastayan. Most Vastayans have this innate ability to charm others and use that to their advantage.” He slid his hand down his face, covering it with his hand. “I believe… I was being charmed to answer where I go to spend my free time.” He faced Sona and slightly bowed his head. “Thank you. If it wasn’t for your music, I would’ve made a mistake I can’t take back.”

Shaking her hands in a fluster, Sona gestured him to raise his head. Ah, so that’s what was happening. But why would Ahri want to charm Jhin into answering such a question? She didn’t know. Perhaps she could ask Ahri later.

Jhin opened the gate of the garden. “After you.” He entered the garden and followed Sona into his hideout spot. “I was wondering if I may ask you some questions about anything you might have seen in the palace. Something is concerning me, and I’m not certain if I can ask anyone else without arousing suspicion between everyone here.”

Curious, Sona tilted her head and nodded.

“And please, do not speak of this to others, even your friends.”

She smiled and cupped her lips to promise not to tell a soul.

“Fantastic. So, as I was saying…”

* * *

 

Later in the night, Sona had tried to approach Ahri to ask if something was wrong. But Ahri avoided her throughout the evening, disappearing as soon as she turned a corner. This time, she found Ahri picking up her pace down the hall of the garden. Sona pursed her lips, slightly lifting the hem of her dress, and ran as soon as her instrument swerved behind her. She grabbed Ahri’s hand and stopped her from going any further.

“What do you want from me, Sona?” Ahri asked with a hint of desperation. “Please, I don’t have time for this.”

Sona pouted, refusing to release her hand. With her other hand, she tried to tell Ahri everything she wanted to say. How she wanted to talk to Ahri, how Ahri won’t speak to her about anything, how she just wanted to know if Ahri was doing okay. She pointed to Ahri, then to her, and tapped her chest. Ahri was her friend.

Under the moonlight, Ahri’s eyes looked glassy. “You’re such a naïve thing, Sona.” Her voice was starting to shake.

_“Do you like him?”_ Sona tried to convey, brushing her bangs back to look like Jhin.

Ahri snorted, chuckling. “I saw you in the other hall, you know. Remember what I said? That I want to root for you? I meant it, and I still do.” She gave Sona’s hand a squeeze. “What you saw back there, it wasn’t anything to betray you. Not you.” She leaned in closer, whispering, “Keep an eye on His Highness tonight. You have to—no, you _must_.” She opened her mouth to whisper a few more words.

Sona’s eyes widened and gazed at Ahri in worry. Ahri could only smile apologetically and give Sona’s hand another squeeze before letting go and disappearing behind a door to another hall.

“Sona?”

She jumped in fright when Jhin called her name from behind.

“Oh, I apologize. I didn’t mean to frighten you. What are you doing, standing out here?” She didn’t give him an answer, only a look of worry. “Sona?”

_“If you want to keep him alive,”_ Ahri’s hushed warning echoed in Sona’s ears.

She shook her head to say it was nothing.

“Ah. Well, I plan on relaxing here for the rest of the night, since you helped me greatly with the report. I suppose you have plans for tonight also?” He went to go past the gate, but Sona’s grip on his sleeve stopped him. She tapped herself. “Oh, of course you may.”

Sona smiled and cupped her hands together. But her smile immediately turned into a frown as soon as Jhin turned his backside to her. Her eyes scanned the garden as she followed him into his hideout. Her instrument levitated still in front of her, her magic readily flowing into her fingers.

Jhin sat down by the tree while Sona took a seat near him instead of her usual seat beside him by the tree. The chirps of crickets filled the silence between him and Sona. Her actions were a little peculiar tonight, though not unprecedented. She seemed to be nervous, looking around her constantly. “You seem concerned about something. Care to talk about it?” he asked.

She clasped her palms together in front of her in apology and smiled nervously.

“It’s only us two. I doubt anyone would come by here at this time of night.” He paused. “Ah, no, I suppose Shen and Zed sometimes make their rounds here…” He leaned back against the tree. “Hm, I did let them know of my thoughts regarding the matter of an infiltrator possibly in the palace, so they might come by here after all.”

Sona was about to strum a reassuring chord, but something caught her attention. A sound. A rustle? No, a flap in the wind. Wings that were too big to belong to any sort of bird in this area. She stood up in suspicion, eyes darting around for the source of the sound.

Jhin also stood up. “Sona, what—”

His words were cut short when five blades struck his body. Two in his shoulders, two in his legs, and one into his lower abdomen. He collapsed onto the grass, blood beginning to seep into his robes. He saw nothing but white, searing pain.

In a panic, Sona knelt by his side and held his head up. She pulled a blade out of Jhin’s shoulders, only to drop it immediately as it cut her hand and numbed it. She looked down.

It wasn’t a blade, but a feather. A magenta feather. They started disintegrating into dust, leaving open wounds in Jhin’s body.

“Tch. Great, more trouble.”

Sona looked up at the roof of the hallway, holding Jhin’s quivering body closer to her.

Xayah and Rakan’s figures leaned against the edge of the rooftop, their faces dimly lit by the moonlight. Xayah stood triumphantly next to Rakan, her hand glowing with more feathers between her fingers. Her piercing yellow eyes met Sona’s.

Infiltrators. Ahri’s warning. Sona was starting to put the pieces together.

“Ready to dance?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I know this has been 5 days since the last upload, but I had a lot of time to think and work on this because I was on a snowboarding trip from New Year's until yesterday. So here, have a chapter a little earlier than I planned! 
> 
> I'm writing the next chapter already (because pAIN), but I will most likely upload it next week. See you then! :)


	5. Just the Little Things

Sona backed away as gently but quickly as she could as Xayah and Rakan landed in the clearing of Jhin’s hideout, still holding Jhin in her arms. His blood was starting soak her red sleeves crimson, and his breathing was becoming more and more ragged. Blood trickled down his chin in two streams. Tears pricked her eyes as she quickly strummed a soothing tune on her instrument.

Her magic spilled into the strings, a green aura surrounding them. Jhin’s wounds also began to glow green as they closed little by little as she continued to play.

“It’s useless,” Xayah said as she sent feathers slicing at Sona’s wrist and face, interrupting her song. “His Highness will have to die for our cause. I am not having someone get in the way.” Her cold gaze didn’t waver. “Even if it means I have to kill you too.”

Blood oozed from the cut on Sona’s cheek into a stream. It stung, but they weren’t gashes. A whistling whimper escaped her lips when Xayah materialized more feathers in her hand. The instant Xayah aimed feathers at Jhin, Sona strummed a powerful chord that surrounded them in green once more and shielded Jhin. The feathers that pierced her skin weren’t deep thanks to her magic, but she couldn’t keep this up at this rate.

She took a deep breath and strummed a different chord, a blue aura that sent Xayah flying towards the pillars of the hall.

“Xayah!” Rakan glowed gold and leapt at Xayah, catching her before she hit the pillar. A sphere of light surrounded her and faded. “You okay?”

“What the fuck was that?” Xayah stood back up on her feet, holding onto Rakan for support. She felt drained, and a numb ache was consuming her arms for a few seconds. She spotted green light coming from where Sona and Jhin were cornered and clicked her tongue. “We have no choice then.”

A gust of golden magenta surrounded them as Xayah threw a frenzy of feathers while approaching the clearing again. Once she exhausted her feathers, her hand glowed, and the feathers suddenly returned to her. Blood dripped from her palm.

However, the green light didn’t vanish. Sona didn’t stop playing. They found her covered in cuts, some bleeding, having taken most of Xayah’s attacks. She was breathing heavily. Her magic was almost depleted from using it so continuously.

“I’ve had enough of this!” Xayah leapt into the air, twirling with her feather cloak in her hand. “Feathers fly!” She unleashed a line of quills aiming straight their vital points.

Sona couldn’t recover enough magic for another shield. All that was left was to take the hit. She covered Jhin’s body with her own and braced for impact, maybe even death. A shadow loomed over them, and pained grunts sounded from behind. Sona looked up to see Ahri in front of them, with quills stabbing into her skin.

Without another moment to lose, Ahri dashed towards them with foxfire surrounding her. She dealt missed blows to send them back onto the rooftop.

“Yo, what the heck are you doing?” Rakan shouted. “I thought you were on our side!”

Ahri sighed in pain as she plucked the quills out. “I thought I was, too.” She looked back at Sona, who was trying to shake Jhin to help him stay awake. “But I thought I told you not to hurt my friends.”

“Hey, it ain’t our fault. She’s the one who got in our way,” Rakan said.

“Looking is one thing, but actively trying to stop us is a different story.” Xayah narrowed her eyes. “And since when did you start sympathizing with _them?_ Have you forgotten what we came here for?!” Rage dripped like venom in her voice.

“Babe,” Rakan cooed, urging her to calm down. His ears twitched, and he suddenly rose to block two blades swung at Xayah’s neck. The blades sliced his chest, but it didn’t stop him from grabbing Xayah and jumping towards the end of the rooftop.

Zed clicked his tongue and swiped the blood of his blades. “Missed. Shame.”

“Shit! Rakan!” Xayah cried. “Are you okay?”

“Yeah, just a scratch,” Rakan replied, putting pressure on his wound. He extended an arm across Xayah as if to protect her, when he glanced at the tree where Sona and Jhin sat. “Xayah, I think this is a bad time. We need to go.”

Xayah followed his gaze to see the other General, Shen, by their side. She growled. It was three—no, four against two. It wouldn’t be wise to push further. “Let’s go.” The two leapt into the air as a gust of feathers flew around them. Xayah took one last look at Ahri and shot a cold glare. “Mu’takl,” she spat.

Ahri glared back, standing her ground and watching the two disappear in mid-air. Two feathers floated down into Ahri’s palms, one from Xayah and one from Rakan. A warning. She didn’t resist when Zed tackled her onto the ground to restrict her arms behind her back.

“Shen! How is he?” Zed asked.

“He’s alive,” Shen answered, applying pressure to Jhin’s abdominal wound. “But we need medical supplies to dress his injuries immediately. They are still deep.” He turned his attention to Sona, who was shaking from her quiet sobs. “Sona… was it? It’s okay. He’s alive.”

Sona shook her head and pulled Jhin tighter in her arms, cradling his head closer to her face. He could have died. One more strike, and he could have died. Her blood-stained tears fell onto his skin, Jhin’s eyes fluttering half-open from the warmth of her tears.

“Sona?” he croaked as he gently touched her head. “You didn’t have to take all those hits…” She pulled away with a gasp, seeing Jhin with a small, though pained, smile. “You got hurt in my place.”

“He’s awake…! Zed, call the attendants and Kennen!”

“I’m a little busy here at the moment!” Zed called back, bringing Ahri into the clearing. “If those two Vastayas were responsible for the attack, then we don’t know what this one could be up to.” Ahri complied to Zed’s shove by sitting on her knees with her hands now tied.

“I doubt she’s going to do anything. Just hurry and get them,” Shen ordered firmly. Letting out a huff, Zed disappeared into a shadow and left Shen to take care of the three for now. Shen observed Ahri with cautious eyes. “I’m sure you’re already aware, but we will have to take you in for interrogation later.”

Ahri nodded. “I will answer whatever you have to ask me.”

Sona cried tears of relief while Jhin whispered words of comfort to her. “I’m fine, Sona. You saved my life,” Jhin whispered. He grunted in pain. “I wouldn’t have lived if you weren’t with me.”

“Your Highness, don’t talk too much. The wound on your abdomen hasn’t closed,” Shen warned. “Just focus on staying awake for now. Breathe.”

Zed rose from the shadow of the tree, kneeling next to Sona. “Kennen’s on his way. The attendants are bringing towels and water too. It shouldn’t be long.”

With a gentle pat on her arm, Jhin smiled. “Dry your tears. I will be fine.” He felt the back of his head meet the cool grass, refreshing compared to the hot pain coursing through his body. He concentrated on returning his breathing back to normal but kept his eyes on Sona, who wiped her wet eyes with her sleeve and hiccuped. Ah… to think she would shed such tears over these injuries, when she sacrificed herself and her magic to save him.

Jhin wished he could reach his hand out to wipe her tears himself.

* * *

 

“His Imperial Highness will definitely survive. His body is nowhere near in critical condition or in shock,” the doctor stated to the Generals and His Majesty. “His wounds seem to have healed a considerable amount, given what he was supposedly stabbed with.” He turned around to observe Jhin, who laid in bed with Sona and Soraka sitting beside it. “There are signs of healing magic that sped the regeneration process to close the wounds. Thanks to that, there isn’t much to worry about a possible infection in his organs.”

“How long will it be until he can do regular tasks again?” Kennen, a small Yordle who stood behind Shen, asked. “His legs work properly, from what I’ve examined. But the other wounds were rather close to his humerus, perhaps even the joint connecting his bones.”

“I would say a few weeks.” The doctor turned back to Shen and Kennen. “Movement in his arms won’t be a problem, but we don’t want to stress his muscles and joints. I recommend that he doesn’t make any wide movements to help it heal faster.”

Zed hummed in thought. “Would you say he can still walk within a few days?”

“Yes, the injuries to his legs weren’t severe, so it shouldn’t take more than ten days before he can walk again.” The doctor cleared his throat. “Of course, His Imperial Highness will need physical therapy to help him gain use of his leg muscles again. Same with his arms too.”

“That’s more than a relief, doctor, thank you very much helping him,” His Majesty thanked, bowing his head.

“Please raise your head, Your Majesty. All I did was dress the wounds after cleaning it.” The doctor looked at Sona again. “She should be the one to thank. She did save His Imperial Highness after all.”

“I will gladly do so.”

“Doctor, I have a few more questions I would like to ask privately. I will need you to follow me,” Zed requested. “Kennen, I will need your assistance too.”

“Sure. I’ll see you later, Shen.”

“Yes, let us go.” The doctor was about to take a step forward but stopped in place. “Ah, General Shen, I don’t suppose you will need the procedure to redress his wounds, yes?”

Shen chuckled. “No need to worry about that.”

“Excellent. Let us go, General Zed.” The doctor followed Zed out the door, leaving Shen and His Majesty standing by the doorway of Jhin’s room.

They watched Sona keep a worried eye on Jhin, who slept peacefully under the canopy of his bed. Sona was covered in bandages and cotton pads for her own injuries, bags under her eyes, looking perhaps even worse than Jhin did. She slowly blinked, then shook her head and sighed. Soraka rubbed her back, whispering a few words to her. His Majesty approached her first, Sona and Soraka immediately rising from her seat and deeply bowing.

“I have heard of your deeds for my son, and I cannot thank you enough for saving his life,” His Majesty said. “You have suffered greatly in his place, and I hold your actions in deep gratitude.” He bowed his head, causing Sona to shake her hands to ask him to raise his head.

“I, too, would like to thank you for saving His Highness,” Shen added, bowing deeper than His Majesty. “You even depleted much of your magic to save him yesterday night and stayed awake to keep watch on him. I cannot imagine the exhaustion you feel at this moment.”

“I would like to thank you with a gift of anything you’d like within reason as a token of my gratitude,” His Majesty continued. “It is not much, but it is the least I could do.”

Sona gave a flustered smile but shook her head humbly. She pointed to herself, hovered a palm over Jhin, and crossed her arms together.

“She’s saying that she feels it was her responsibility to protect him better that night.” Soraka watched the rest of Sona’s gestures, translating them as best as she can at every pause. “She would like to be given permission to stay by his side until he fully recovers, so she can offer her company when Your Majesty or the Generals cannot be there.”

“Yes, that is already a given, considering what you’ve done for him. But is there anything else at all?”

She immediately shook her head, firmer this time. She only smiled and bowed her head, expressing that this was all she wanted.

A light sigh sounded from His Majesty. “Well, if that’s all, you are free to come visit him whenever you’d like. But my offer still stands. You may address this anytime you see me. The attendants outside can tend to any requests you have, so rest assured that you will be treated like a welcome guest here.”

Sona bowed out of gratitude. But she truly didn’t want anything else. She just wanted to make sure Jhin recovered properly. That was more than enough for her.

“Are you sure you don’t need to rest? You’ve been staying up all night. I can at least get you a pillow and a blanket.”

She declined Shen’s offer. She decided to wait until Jhin woke up, telling them not to worry about her. She’ll get her rest soon. Besides, Soraka was with her. She had nothing to worry about.

“Well, in that case, we shall take our leave. We have much to discuss with the Council regarding this infiltration matter with the Vastayans. I will have Shen come to my son’s room to redress his wounds after some time.” His Majesty exited Jhin’s room, followed by Shen.

Soraka sighed once they closed the door. “I’m worried about Ahri. You did tell them that she was the one who warned you, right?”

Sona nodded, concerned. She explained the situation to Zed as best as she could, but she wasn’t sure if her message really went through to him. She could only hope Ahri wasn’t hurt during the interrogation. She sat back down in her seat and gazed at Jhin’s bandaged torso.

“You did your best, and he’s alive thanks to you,” Soraka said, rubbing Sona’s back gently. “Don’t push yourself thinking it was your fault, dear.”

Soraka was right, but she was the only one there that night with him. She felt, that she could have reacted faster.

“Do you want anything? Food? Water?”

A meal sounded pleasant and very much needed. She nodded, asking for both. Soraka gave her another pat on the back and left Jhin’s room to fetch her something from the dining hall.

Tired, Sona exhaled loudly. A lot was on her mind. Jhin’s well-being, Ahri’s interrogation, Soraka’s time, and even Xayah and Rakan’s whereabouts. After looking around and making sure Jhin was asleep, she leaned her arms on the edge of Jhin’s bed and rested her chin on top. She looked at Jhin’s hand and reached out a hand towards it.

His hand felt rough, slightly bony. It was the hands of a fighter and a craftsman. What was it he said? He had many artistic hobbies from calligraphy to pottery. But he also learned archery and the way of the sword. Many other skills he learned since a young age.

She slipped her fingers under his hand, gingerly holding some of his fingers in her hand. Even his fingers were calloused from years of training and practice. They felt similar to her own, having played her instrument for so long. Her lips curled into a small smile as she daydreamed about these very hands holding hers so gently. So delicately.

What a silly little fantasy.

Jhin’s eyes tightened before fluttering open from the reflection of the sunlight against his sheets. His shoulders and legs felt numb from the wounds last night. He felt the bandages on his torso chafe against the covers as he shifted his position to lay more comfortably.

The foreign feeling of another’s hand in his caused him lift his head to see why. He felt his breath get caught in his throat as he saw Sona, asleep, beside him with the tip of her fingers just barely under his. He opened his mouth to call her name but closed it once noticing the bags under her eyes.

She looked too peaceful to wake. The steady rising of her shoulders with her breath against her sleeve, her brown twintails splayed over her face and back, and the contrast of her sunlit dress and the shadow covering part of her face.

She almost looked like a painting.

He curled his fingers closer to hers, holding them lightly enough that she doesn’t wake. He wondered what it would feel like if her fingers held his own. Her similarly calloused fingers from plucking the strings of her instrument in his own. His eyes softened as he imagined tracing little circles onto the back of her hand with his thumb.

What a strange, peculiar fantasy.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hahaaaaaa, you know what, I'm dedicating this chapter to smoltinny and bekkodraws, who drew Jhin in this AU. While the setting definitely is more eastern than western, they drew him VERY handsomely. I had the most joyous scream of death seeing this. ;; v ;; Thank you, you two <3
> 
> Here, have this.  
> http://alicesenpai.tumblr.com/post/169444190826/bekkodraws-alicesenpaiwrites-wkannadnfn-a  
> https://smoltinny.tumblr.com/post/169495248989/alicesenpai-im-so-sorry-i-i-couldnt-help


	6. One Condition

Using magic to heal wasn’t recommended, as it could put stress on the body for forcing it to regenerate at such a fast rate. For now, Jhin was to recuperate in his room with minimal magic to heal his wounds. So far, they had closed without complication.

Jhin woke up to the sound of gentle music coming from the window. He looked to see Sona sitting by the window with her instrument in front of her, her fingers strumming note after note. There was an odd feeling of a hum coming from the instrument, a drone not from the strings. A lovely harmony, indeed. 

He slowly sat up against the pillows, careful not to make a sound, and watched her sunlit figure against the Ionian landscape of lush forests and mountains. How oblivious she was to his gaze. 

His eyes then moved to the bandages wrapped around her neck and hands and one pad taped over her cheek, the deeper cuts that had yet to heal over. To think she took so many attacks to save him. Almost depleting her own magic to save him.

Even then, the warmth in Sona’s smile never disappeared. She continued to laugh like when they were in the garden. It almost brightened his room, which he had come to think as boring and, perhaps, a prison of his own. Now, it seemed to be more open. Warmer. 

Jhin accidentally let out a chuckle, alerting Sona to look over her shoulder. “Oh, didn’t mean to give myself away. I was just thinking.”

Sona only huffed with a smile, as if used to this habit of his. She walked to his side and sat on the edge of the wooden platform, trying to ask how he’s doing. 

“Could be better. I do wish I could start walking.” Alas, the doctor and Shen were afraid the wound on his torso may open had he tried. “It’s not easy being bedridden and hounded by two Generals and my father.” The corner of lips twitched up when Sona laughed. “How about you?”

At this, she gingerly touched her cheek and pulled back the sleeves of her robes, revealing her bandages past her forearms. But she made big gestures to show her wounds were fine. 

“That’s good.” He lowered his head for a moment to gather his thoughts. “I… don’t believe I’ve had the chance to thank you for saving me that night.” He raised a hand to feel the bandages on his shoulders. “You did so much to save me, and—”

Sona shook her head, her eyes humbly pleading. Anyone would have done it. Anyone in this palace—General Shen, General Zed, even his own father—would have protected him if they happened to be the only one there. Like her. 

Jhin could only chuckle. “Even so, you didn’t have to take so many hits for me. I still would have lived.”

Perhaps so, but how could she take those chances? 

“I’m certain my father has already tried offering a token of his gratitude, but is there anything I can do?” Jhin slowly moved his legs out of bed to lean closer to Sona. “Anything at all. It doesn’t have to be a physical gift.” Before Sona shook her head, he added, “Even an action.”

That stopped her in her tracks. She was hesitating. There was something she wanted.

“You can be honest. Think of it like back in the garden. Just two people having a conversation.” 

She opened her mouth but closed it. Her open hands set on top of her head like ears, and her fingers drew three marks on her cheeks. Ahri. She wanted to see Ahri. Freed. It’s been days since the incident, but Ahri wasn’t released from prison yet. She hadn’t done anything wrong. 

Jhin nodded in understanding. It was true that Ahri had intervened, from what he remembered. But she had come together with Xayah and Rakan, and Zed was still suspicious of her intents here. Even he couldn’t release her that easily.

Unless… 

* * *

 

The stone corners that were once visibly cracked became dark blurs. White fur resigned to the cobblestone walls in exhaustion. The soft clinking of metal sounded in acknowledgement of the prison door opening to two figures bathed in light as it approached the cell.

Ahri didn’t bother opening her eyes until she heard the familiar sound of strings strumming something that sounded like her name. Glowing, yellow eyes immediately turned to the source. A burst of strength coursed through her to allow her feet to carry her closer to the bars. “Sona? Soraka?”

Sona rushed to her knees to get a closer look at Ahri, only to see her in a more primeval appearance than she used to. White fur shimmered all over her cheeks, neck, hands, and feet. She looked much more like the fox she was supposed to be. But Ahri looked exhausted, as if she was drained of her lifeforce.

Soraka knelt beside Sona, taking in Ahri’s appearance as well. 

“Don’t touch the bars. They can absorb large amounts of magic in one touch.” Ahri sat in a more comfortable position to face them. “Well, isn’t this embarrassing? I’m in a worse state compared to you, Sona. You know, with all those hits you took?” When Sona shot her a worried gaze, she smiled. “Oh please, I’m not dying. This cell just drains the prisoner’s magic to a weakened state.”

“Are you okay?” Soraka asked. “They haven’t hurt you during interrogation?”

“Aw, worried about me? No need be.” Chains clinked against each other. “This is fitting as a punishment, don’t you think? Sitting in solitude, not even tortured or executed.” Ahri weakly snorted. “At this point, that General probably doesn’t know if I’m telling the truth or not.”

The truth? Sona tilted her head in curiosity.

“I guess I should tell you, since I don’t know when—or if—I’ll ever see the light of day again.”

“Will this put you in danger? Because we don’t want you to give information that might cause you more grief.”

“Hah! I can’t give a damn if it does.” Ahri cocked a brow. “Besides, I’ve told all I could to that General.”

Sona urged Ahri to go on.

“Xayah and Rakan… They’re leaders of an organization of Vastaya trying to take back what was theirs,” Ahri continued, sweeping a palm on the stone floor, “Ionia, itself.” Her eyes began to grow distant. “Ever since humans and mages started taking the land’s magic for their own development, we Vastaya were weakening. Xayah wanted to change that.”

Soraka and Sona exchanged glances. “And you were a part of it,” Soraka said.

Ahri nodded. “I was. At the time, I thought I could know where I was from. That maybe I could figure out how I came to be.” She sighed as her ears twitched at a recollection of a memory. “I thought that if Xayah’s intentions to bring magic to the Ionian land was successful, I can finally find home and who I am. But I was wrong.” Her hands tightened into fists. “I realized that when I came with them to infiltrate the palace to get information on the villages and the military’s routine.”

Realization flickered through their eyes.

“Why else do you think I was always in the east hall, seducing the lords and…” she paused, guilt shrouding over her features as she glanced at Sona, “and His Highness?” She took a deep breath. “That day, when His Highness fell for my trap, Xayah was going to use that chance to take His Highness hostage and use him to negotiate with His Majesty. I was relieved when Sona had him snap out of the trance. I didn’t want any part of their mission anymore.”

“But why, Ahri? Why did you decide to go against them?” 

“I… felt like I found somewhere I could belong, for once.” Ahri smiled forlornly. “I never knew and still don’t know who I am, and if there are any other Vastayans like me out there. I’ve walked the lands of Ionia for so long, stealing lives of humans because their essence is what gave me my human appearance. But it never felt enough.” She stared at her fur-covered hand, clenching and unclenching it a few times. “I didn’t feel like I belonged anywhere until I met Xayah and Rakan. Like I said, I thought they could reveal who I am.”

A brief silence filled the air before Ahri finally looked up at Sona with tears in her eyes.

“Remember that night when you told me I was your friend? For once in my life, I felt like this was where I belonged. A place where I can be with good friends like you two. When we went to go shopping for hair sticks? That was the most fun I’ve ever had!” A stream of tears flowed down her cheek. “You two accepted me for who I am, and I honestly wanted to stay. I, I wanted to keep the friendship we had.”

“Ahri…”

Ahri bent down, her body shaking from holding back sobs. “I swear it. I didn’t want any harm to come to His Highness either. I made my decision that night when I told Sona to protect him.”

The door to the prison suddenly opened. Sona and Soraka quickly flew back up on their feet and bowed. Jhin walked in with a cane in hand, Zed and Shen following behind. “I’ve heard more than enough,” Jhin said. He leaned against his cane as he stood before Ahri. “I have heard your story and intentions, Ahri of the Vastaya. I understand you ultimately went against your own kind to save me, but you were still part of them when you came here. That can be considered treason.”

She quickly positioned herself in a kneeling bow on the floor. “I am well aware, Your Imperial Highness. I will take whatever punishment there is, even… even if it means execution.”

“There is no punishment.” Jhin glanced at Zed, who immediately brought out a ring of keys and opened the cell door. “As you were a court musician under my authority, I hereby decree you are freed from imprisonment and may continue your position as court musician.” He interrupted the soft gasps of surprise and Shen’s start of a lecture. “Under one condition. You will have to assist me in these affairs regarding the Vastaya, such as who is involved.”

Ahri fell silent. “Will you… hurt them…?”

“Only if they do not agree to compromise and attack first.” Jhin cleared his throat. “If what you are saying is true about the Vastaya trying to take Ionia back, I would think negotiations should be in order without unnecessary bloodshed from both parties.”

A sigh of relief sounded from Ahri. “I humbly accept your condition, Your Highness. I agree to help you in these affairs, as long as you keep your word of compromising first.”

Jhin gave a curt nod. “You have my word.” 

Zed unlocked the cuffs on Ahri’s wrists and stepped aside to let Sona and Soraka help her up and walk her out. He approached Jhin and muttered, “You better know what you’re doing, Jhin,” before stepping outside to chat with Shen. 

Sona tightly hugged Ahri, relieved that she was free and can continue her stay in the palace. She didn’t have to lose a dear friend. 

Soraka took Ahri’s hand. “Here, let me help.” From her palm, a golden light sparkling like stars flowed into Ahri, her white fur quickly receding back to show her skin again. “Better?”

“Much. Thank you, Soraka.” Ahri gave Soraka’s hand a squeeze. She looked up at the sky, immersing in the warm sunlight and fresh air, unlike the dark and musty cell. She didn’t think she’d be able to feel this again. Ahri faced Jhin and bowed deeply. “I thank you once again for giving me a chance, Your Highness. I shall do my best to assist you with the Vastaya as best as I can.”

“Your assistance is more than enough to give me leads on where to start with finding those two again to attempt negotiations. It will only add more knowledge about matters with the Vastaya.” Jhin glanced at Sona and smiled. “Raise your head. You should replenish your energy after spending so much time in there. I will be taking my leave then.”

Sona smiled back as Jhin walked back with the Generals behind him, nodding her head in gratitude for his actions.

* * *

 

Jhin grunted as he settled himself back into his bed with Shen and Zed’s assistance. “Sona’s magic is indeed effective, even for a short amount of time. I couldn’t even feel the pain until it wore off.”

“Why must you push yourself like this, Jhin? It’s not like you to suddenly go against the doctor’s recommendation like that…” Shen sighed and crossed his arms, his face stern. “You’re only putting more stress on your body that way.”

“All this to walk to the prison and free her?” Zed scoffed. “An order would have sufficed.”

“You wouldn’t have listened, Zed, we both know that.” Jhin smirked at Zed’s rolling eyes. Bullseye. “Besides, I wanted to hear her intentions for myself. I felt that she would speak the whole truth if those two talked to her personally.”

Zed growled. “I will admit there were details I didn’t hear about when I was interrogating her. Too emotional, that Vastaya is.” He then threw his arms up in the air with a huff of frustration. “I don’t get why you even went so far as to convince His Majesty to free the Vastayan in exchange of pursuing this, this rebellion.”

Shen took Jhin’s cane and set it by the corner of Jhin’s bed. “Trying to prove yourself to His Majesty before your coronation?”

“I’d be lying if I denied that. But at the end of the day, the fact is I became involved with the leaders of a rebellion. I should try to take care of it so a war doesn’t break out.”

“And if a war  _ does _ break out?”

Jhin fell silent. “I’ll see to it that it doesn’t.”

“What confidence you have, Your Highness,” Zed muttered flatly. “They’re already attacking villages all over the country, if you haven’t noticed.”

“If they wanted to declare war, they would’ve done so before they tried to kill him,” Shen said. “If not, they would have once he was dead.”

“To declare war when the palace is in panic after the crown prince had been killed was their only chance. A perfect opportunity to take advantage of the chaos to overthrow both the military and royal power,” Zed added. “But now that they’ve failed their mission, there’s the possibility they might act out of desperation and go straight to it.”

“I don’t think that would be the case,” Jhin argued. “They’re attacking several villages throughout the country, which means all the tribes are scattered. It wouldn’t take a lot of time to gather everyone, I’m sure, but we don’t know how many other Vastayas they’ve recruited.”

Shen hummed in thought. “So, you’re saying their numbers might be insignificant compared to ours?”

Zed scoffed. “Vastayans aren’t stupid, especially the leaders organizing this. If their numbers were insignificant to ours, they wouldn’t bother trying to murder you.” He paused to take a breath and looked at the mountainous landscape. “This is now more than a warning. It’s a threat. It could happen again, more frequently this time.”

A thoughtful silence filled the air. Zed had a point. There wasn’t much time to prepare for negotiations, in that case. But there was so little information about the rebellion. How could they get a lead in time?

Jhin’s eyes perked up in realization. “We need to ask Vastayans for help. Those who haven’t joined their cause.”

“But how are we going to find them? Word can spread fast among the Vastaya. They’ll know Ahri is a traitor to their kind, even those who didn’t side with them.”

“Besides, they already know how we look. Even the other two musicians’ disarming faces wouldn’t be enough to diffuse the hostility.”

“We have to try,” Jhin insisted. “Surely there were tribes who rejected their offer to join the rebellion, ones Ahri has met.”

Shen and Zed exchanged glances. Was there no other option? They knew neither any Vastaya nor anyone among their troops who had met one. After some thought, they agreed. “Give us the order, and we’ll do it.”

“Ask the villagers. I can’t imagine all villages haven’t met Vastaya before. Perhaps there’s at least one that gets along with a tribe.” Jhin briefly paused. “While you’re at it, find the area that has been attacked recently. There has to be a pattern in the area of attacks.”

“Your order is our command,” Shen stated. 

“Alright, let’s get to it then. See ya.” Zed’s figure fell into a dark pool of shadow and disappeared out Jhin’s window.

“Not following him?”

Shen shrugged. “After I check your injuries. You did use magic to regenerate your cells faster, after all.” He shook his head in disappointment. “Just because you heal faster with magic—”

“—doesn’t mean there won’t be any drawbacks, I know.”

“And yet.”

Jhin pursed his lips in mock defiance. “I had to.”

Icy blue eyes blinked in understanding as a smile formed beneath his blue mask. “I know.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I believe... the last time I updated was literally a month ago? Welp. School hell started, so yeahhhhhh... Hopefully I can still update AT LEAST monthly!


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